Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Locus Lock
B.S. Aerospace Engineering 2019, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
M.S. ASE 2022, The University of Texas at Austin
Hailey Nichols is the founder of Locus Lock, a company located in Boulder, CO, that develops cutting-edge positioning solutions for mobility in both commercial and defense sectors. The start-up was spun out of the innovative work led by professor Todd Humphreys and graduate students in the Radionavigation Lab at The University of Texas at Austin.
Nichols earned her B.S. degree in aerospace engineering with a specialization in aerospace information technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2019. She went on to receive her M.S. in aerospace engineering with a specialization in space tech entrepreneurship from The University of Texas at Austin in 2022.
Her career began as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) software engineer at Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing subsidiary, where she contributed to sensor fusion efforts for advanced aircraft collision avoidance systems. While pursuing her master’s degree, Nichols conducted research in the Radionavigation Lab led by Humphreys. She is a published author on the topic of Software-Defined GNSS and has translated cutting-edge research into practical applications through Locus Lock.
Nichols is a nationally recognized entrepreneur and engineer. She has received numerous accolades, including Aviation Week Network’s 20 Twenties award, which highlights young professionals poised to transform the aerospace and defense industries. She was also named to Austin Inno’s 25 under 25 list for her impact on the tech community. Additionally, she is a two-time CoSIDA NCAA Division III Academic All-American and United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American. Nichols was honored with the Malcolm Milburn Endowed Scholarship and Award in Entrepreneurial Studies and the inaugural Launch Texas Fellowship for her innovative work at Locus Lock. She is also a board member for the MIT AeroAstro Entrepreneurship program.
Nichols lives in Denver, CO and enjoys hiking, skiing and baking in her free time with her fiancé Anders and dog Oakley.
